In 2008, Clackamas County began a one-year pilot with an alternative work week for nearly half of County Employees. Following the one-year pilot, the Board of County Commissioners decided to continue the schedule. The alternative work week meant changing from a traditional Monday-Friday workweek of 7.5 or 8 hour days to a week where employees work longer days compressed into a Monday-Thursday work schedule. This allowed for expanded public service hours for our citizens, as well as a reduction of the County’s carbon footprint (including one less day of employee commutes and reduced energy usage in County facilities).

While nearly half of County employees work the alternate work week, there are employees that by the nature of their work cannot work this schedule. The County has Sheriff patrol and corrections, 9-1-1 dispatch and Juvenile Reception that operate 24/7. Other services such as health care, District Attorney and some central services continue to be open on Friday's to serve their customers. Your supervisor will inform you as to the work days and work hours for your job.

The one-year pilot period included a comprehensive study conducted by Portland State University. The Final Report issued by PSU, assessed feedback from employees and a study of the impact on operations and the public. In addition, the county commissioned two citizen studies by Gilmour Research Group, an outside polling and research company.

Clackamas County is among a select few government entities in the United States to try a new approach to the work week. In 2010 we were awarded an achievement award by the National Association of Counties (NACo) for our Alternate Work Week Pilot Project. Whether the job you applied for at the County is on this alternate schedule, or some other schedule, you can be sure that you are joining a local government that continually seeks new and innovative ways to deliver services and support its employees.